Introduction – Exploring Charts, Graphs, and Dashboards

This chapter will provide guidance about visualizing Salesforce CRM data in Tableau. We will start with a section on things to remember when visualizing Salesforce data, such as understanding CRM data and the types of analysis you may want to perform. The chapter will then cover the basics of creating visualizations in Tableau, such as using the Show Me menu and creating simple charts.

Structure

The chapter covers the following topics:

  • Fundamentals of creating visualizations in Tableau
    • Using ‘Show Me’ menu and bar charts
    • Line charts in Tableau
    • Tables in Tableau
    • Pie charts in Tableau
    • Treemaps in Tableau
    • Scatterplots in Tableau
  • Bringing all your insights together in a dashboard

Objectives

By the end of this chapter, learners will be able to understand why and how CRM data is crucial for data analysis and decision-making. Specifically, they will be able to recognize different types of analyses that can be performed on Salesforce CRM data, how these might dictate different visualization approaches, and comprehend the factors to consider when visualizing CRM data, including strategies to avoid common visualization pitfalls. They will also familiarize themselves with the key functionalities of Tableau’s “Show Me” menu and basic chart creation techniques. Finally, they will be able to create meaningful visualizations using Salesforce CRM data in Tableau and develop the skills necessary to interpret visualizations effectively, drawing out actionable insights from data presented in visual form.